The full video interview, on The Big Think, features Tyler Volk covering topics like ‘Why We Die,’ ‘Fear of Death Is Immature,’ ‘Why Life Needs Death,’ and more.

Tyler Volk is a Science Director of Environmental Studies and Professor of Biology at New York University. He is the author of “Death & Sex” (with co-author Dorion Sagan), “CO2 Rising: The World’ Greatest Environmental Challenge,” “Gaia’s Body: Toward a Physiology of the Earth,” and “Metapatterns: Across Space, Time, and Mind.” Professor Volk is also lead guitarist for The Amygdaloids, a “heavy mental” band comprised of NYU scientists. He lives in New York.